Shows / Restaurant Hoppen
Restaurant Hoppen
Dan Hoppen breaks down the Nebraska cuisine scene one bite at a time. He talks to local chefs, media members, and just interesting people about what's going on in the Cornhusker State when it comes to food, where people need to eat, and how food relates to Nebraska sports.
Episodes
Restaurant HoppenJon Stastny, Collin Adkisson, & Rolando Valadez—LIVE food truck rally
We all love food trucks, but do we really understand what it takes to get them started and keep them in operation? The owners of Wonton Jon's, Mootz, and Alley…
Restaurant HoppenNino Coniglio & Aaron McCann—Williamsburg Pizza
World-renowned pizza maker Nino and Omaha native Aaron partnered to create Williamsburg Pizza in New York, and its grown to become one of the NY's favorite…
Restaurant HoppenAhmad & Mahmod Al-Ramadan—Zaytuna
Don't mind that these brothers are both under 23 years old. Through immeasurable hours of work, these natives of Jordan are serving arguably the best…
Restaurant HoppenAires & Judy Reis—Reis' Bakery
These two are not professional bakers, and they never had an ambitions of opening a bakery. But they fell in love with pastries, breads, and desserts and felt…
Restaurant HoppenJake Heiliger—Wine, Beer, and Spirits
How did an old Toys R Store store evolve into the fastest-growing spirit provider in Nebraska? Chief Operating Officer Jake Heiliger joins the podcast to tell…
Restaurant HoppenDavid Losole, Nick Strawhecker, & Matt Frampton—LIVE Pizza Party Podcast
We got together three of Omaha's pizza maestros to talk about all things pizza. David Losole (Virtuoso Pizzeria), Matt Frampton (Urban Slicer Pizza Worx), and…
Restaurant HoppenMakenna & Gaston Medrano—Solful Cafe
The father-daughter connection is just one of the many aspects of Solful Cafe that makes this Inner Rail Food Hall inhabitant fascinating. From the authentic…
Restaurant HoppenDrew & Michelle Statz—Semo Pasta + Wine
Drew and Michelle have carved out successful careers working in other people's restaurants, but Semo is their opportunity to really show who they are as chefs…
Restaurant HoppenHank Shields—Omaha Bagel Co.
Hank had no experience making bagels or working in the restaurant industry, but he saw the ability to fill a niche no one else in Omaha was: homemade bagels…
Restaurant HoppenBrett & Cherish Geiger—Izzy's Pizza Bus (LIVE)
These two had no restaurant experience but a passion for pizza. Their dedication led to starting a school bus, thrilling the Las Vegas pizza market, and moving…
Restaurant HoppenScott Fogle—Mission Ave BBQ
Scott cut his teeth at some of Austin's finest BBQ restaurants, and now he's brought that expertise to Nebraska. If you want Texas-style BBQ, this is it. Scott…
Restaurant HoppenAmanda & Amya Frazier—Barb's Breakfast Bar
These sisters carry on their late mother's legacy by cooking the same classic, delicious breakfast dishes she made for them growing up. Hear how this food…
Restaurant HoppenMeghan McLarney & Jennifer Maguire—Lemon Tree Cafe
These two sisters each own and operate their own restaurants, so why did they decide to open one together this year in Ralston? Because they wanted to cook…
Restaurant HoppenIsaiah Renner & Scot Sayles—Dire Lion Grille & Chippy
Isaiah had no idea if Omahans would go for a food truck serving British pub food in 2016, but Dire Lion is still thriving 7 years later. The owners of the…
Restaurant HoppenMichelle Alfaro—Sauced by Alfaro (LIVE)
In the first live recording of the podcast, Michelle Alfaro details details how she takes the time and care to make you feel like every meal at Sauced is being…
Restaurant HoppenHailey Vinter—Crumb Coat & Chill
After starting her food career in restaurants and bakeries, Hailey left the industry... but she couldn't stay away. She ended up opening crumb coat & chill as…
Restaurant HoppenElie & Miny Berchal—Elie's Chinchorro
Elie seeks to send her customers to Puerto Rico for a few hours when they visit her restaurant, and everything from the "boom" of the flavors to the bright…
Restaurant HoppenBlane Hunter—Porky Butts BBQ
Few men in the Midwest have the BBQ credentials that Blane Hunter does. He's proven his meat smoking proficiency both on the competition BBQ circuit and in his…
Restaurant HoppenDylan Thompson & Jamen Danielson—Clean Slate Food Co.
Since its inception in 2018, Clean Slate Food Co. has blossomed from a tiny catering service in co-owner Dylan's kitchen to a weekly meal delivery service and…
Restaurant HoppenHolly Benson—Kitchen Council
Put simply, Kitchen Council helps start-ups start up. This incubator for young businesses not only provides kitchen space and state-of-the-art machinery, but…
Restaurant HoppenColin & Jessica Duggan—Kitchen Table
Colin & Jessica's commitment to not only local products, but building dishes from the ground up based off what's fresh and available, is downright astounding…
Restaurant HoppenKatina Talley—Know Good Eats; Sweet Magnolias Bake Shop
The owner of one of Omaha's most beloved bakeries discusses how the business has involved and the process of finding and opening a second location. We also…
Restaurant HoppenLauren Wright & Alexis Jensen—Conscious Comforts
Lauren's food journey began when she realized she could overcome a medical condition by monitoring her diet, namely gluten and dairy intake. But she still…
Restaurant HoppenKristina Kalian—Kravings Cookies
Kristina developed a love for baking from her grandma at a young age and spent years perfecting her chocolate chip cookie recipe. But she didn't originally…
Restaurant HoppenAhmad Nazar—Ahmad's Persian Cuisine
For more than 30 years, Ahmad has been introducing diners to Persian food, serving them spices and dishes they've never experienced before. From his unique…
Restaurant HoppenNichole Bartlett, Scott Taff, and Vincent Rissell—OCookieOs
What happens when you combine the chewy consistency of a cake donut with the crisp edges of a cookie? You get OCookieOs, a brand that is quickly staking its…
Restaurant HoppenMike Barstow, Dan Watts, and Tyler Schaeffer ACX Theaters, Backlot Pizza + Kitchen, Inkwell
Experiential dining is a rising trend in American food culture, and this crew is showing why. By combining restaurant-quality food and inspired drink menus…
Restaurant HoppenBen Mohl & Joe Finegan—Certified Piedmontese
Beef that's leaner and lower in calories than traditional beef, but it tastes better? That might sound too good to be true, but anyone who's had Certified…
Restaurant HoppenKathy & Scott Silvey—A Catered Affair
The Silveys had no catering experience when they left their corporate restaurant jobs to open their own catering business in 2007, but you'd never it by eating…
Restaurant HoppenJT Aegnor & Gabriel Bowser—A Foreign Taste
This team is doing bold things at A Foreign Taste: their aim is to introduce Omaha to global wines and enter the upper echelon of Omaha's fine dining scene…
Restaurant HoppenLarissa Codr—The Finicky Cookie
Cookies, epic side hustles, and Food Network appearances; this episode has it all. Larissa explains how she became obsessed with cookies, the science behind…
Restaurant HoppenJames Hawk—J's Smokehouse
What if I told you some of Omaha's best BBQ was coming out of a food truck outside a karate gym in Papillion? It's not crazy, as anyone who's been to J's…
Restaurant HoppenChloe Tran—The Banh Mi Shop
When Chloe moved to the Omaha from Vietnam, she couldn't find any restaurants serving banh mi sandwiches like the ones she enjoyed at home. So she opened her…
Restaurant HoppenJoe Cong—Blue & Fly Asian Kitchen
When Joe moved from China to Omaha at the age of 21, he was disappointed that he couldn't find the traditional dishes he loved weren't available (sorry, peanut…
Restaurant HoppenRolando Valadez—Alley Taco 402
On the surface, Alley Taco 402 is a food truck serving some of the best tacos in Omaha. But it goes further than that, as owner Rolando Valadez is using his…
Restaurant HoppenYuvi Kolbar - Yuvi’s Bake Shop
Yuvi’s story from growing up in Israel to selling French pastries and desserts is wild, and it showcases what makes her such a passionate, amazing baker. Hear…
Restaurant HoppenJavier Trujillo Villa—Javi's Tacos
Javi's Tacos has opened 3 locations and 2 food trucks in just 2 years; how did it achieve such wild success out of the gate? To hear own Javier Trujillo Villa…
Restaurant HoppenBrad, Kyle, & Jake Jukes—Jukes Ale Works
Delicious, wildly creative beers, salted caramel wings, sweat-inducing Nashville hot chicken sandwiches... there's no place quite like Jukes Ale Works. And…
Restaurant HoppenCory Fuller—Pulled BBQ
Cory Fuller promised his wife he'd never open a restaurant. But the raving compliments this home smoker got on his smoked meats were too powerful to ignore. A…
Restaurant HoppenErick Landa—Centi
Omaha was missing a gelato destination... that is, until Erick opened Centi in the summer of 2022. This detail-obsessed dessert magician delights Omahans with…
Restaurant HoppenDavid Utterback—Koji
Already a James Beard-nominated chef and owner of Yoshitomo, Omaha's top sushi restaurant, David Utterback wanted a spot in Omaha where he could eat one of his…
Restaurant HoppenBryon Compton—Graley's Creamery & Confections
Super premium ice cream, homemade hand pies and soup, a welcoming atmosphere that takes you back in time... what else could you want from an ice cream shop?!…
Restaurant HoppenErin Palladino—PepperJax
As PepperJax celebrates its 20th anniversary, its COO joins the show to discuss how it grew from humble beginnings in Omaha in 2002 to a major brand with more…
Restaurant HoppenMatt Taylor - Inner Rail Food Hall
As someone who’s worked at all levels of the restaurant industry, Matt brings a unique perspective and ability to coach all the various independent vendors and…
Restaurant HoppenDan Benigno—Chef Around the Block
Dan Benigno is passionate about two things: making people happy through food and empowering the next generation of cooks. He accomplishes both at Chef Around…
Restaurant HoppenStacie Van Cleave & Matt Hyde—Veg.edible
Vegan. Gluten-free. Nut-free. Stacie Van Cleave wanted to provide delicious food for everyone, regardless of dietary restrictions and preferences—thus…
Restaurant HoppenMoses Moseley, Dan Whalen, & Cassie Jacobs—Dirty Birds
What started as a tiny pop-up has blown up into Omaha's favorite fried chicken joint in just two years... how did it happen? The Dirty Birds trio describes…
Restaurant HoppenKevin Wyatt & Isaiah Renner—Trucks & Taps
Two food truck veterans had a crazy/brilliant idea: to create a food truck hub that not only attracted customers in droves, but also helped incubate young food…
Restaurant HoppenMichael Ozmun Jr.—Dairy Chef
The Ozmun family basically grew up at Dairy Chef, so when the opportunity to buy the iconic drive-in in 2013, they couldn't pass it up. Hear the story of how…
Restaurant HoppenJennifer Maguire—Lisa's Radial Cafe
An Omaha institution since 1938, Lisa's Radial Cafe is one of the city's most beloved restaurants. Owner/manager Jennifer talks about what it was like to grow…
Restaurant HoppenZach Bridges—Burning Bridges Food Truck
With no restaurant experience but a burning desire to cook, Zach Bridges used some shifts on other food trucks to gain the skills needed to start his own. The…
Restaurant HoppenAshley Miller—Sweet Ash Macs
When Ashley Miller started making macarons out of her kitchen in early 2020, she had no idea it would blow up into a burgeoning business! The owner of Sweet…
Restaurant HoppenMeghan & Matt McLarney—Gravy Train
A relationship that began through biscuits and gravy is now giving Omaha an elevated version of this classic dish. Meghan and Matt describe the "lightbulb"…
Restaurant HoppenSue Brezack & Christina Randall—Bagel Bin
The Bagel Bin has become a beloved institution in Omaha, and when you meet owner Sue Brezack, it's not hard to see why! She and her granddaughter Christina…
Restaurant HoppenDan Loutzenhiser—Stories Coffee Company
Stories Coffee Company is growing rapidly, but its popularity is due to more than its great coffee and strong food options. Stories has created a space and a…
Restaurant HoppenAli & Chase Woodward—Countryside Cones
This couple had no experience in the restaurant industry, but Ali desired to help other families create memories like the ones she has of eating soft serve…
Restaurant HoppenJenny & Nick Maestas—CTRL
A mash-up of coffee house, cereal bar, and retro gaming arcade, there is nothing in Omaha like CTRL. Crazy thing is, when Jenny & Nick agreed to the space, it…
Restaurant HoppenBrett & Cherish Geiger—Izzy's Pizza Bus
Detroit-style pizza served out of a bus by a former audio technician? The story behind Izzy's Pizza Bus is wild, but once you hear how Brett & Cherish Geiger…
Restaurant HoppenClark Ross—Mercury
From it's rotating cocktail menus that highlight breakfast cereals and children's stories to its fascinating ice program to its epic Christmas bashes, there is…
Restaurant HoppenOmar Garrido—The Churro Spot
From a food truck selling churros at night to a full blown restaurant with tacos, tortas, sopes, and more, The Churro Spot has evolved a lot in its 6 years…